DIY Spa: From Head to Toe

While it is nice to treat yourself and get spoiled every once in a while (who doesn’t love a day at the spa?), making your own beauty products at home is often not as difficult as you may think, in fact, many of the ingredients are probably already in your cupboard or fridge. For those times when you don’t have a whole day to commit to pampering, and just want to address a couple problem areas, we have you covered with some DIY recipes, embracing everything from your head to your feet.

Hair Masks
Sometimes it is nice to give your hair a bath in some all-natural products, as the chemicals in shampoo and conditioner can be harsh on your hair after so many repeated uses.

Coconut and Honey
Coconut oil is great for dry-damaged hair, and helps it to look fuller, shinier and healthier. You can make a mask for your hair by mixing 1 to 2 tsp. of virgin coconut oil, 1 tsp. honey, 5 drops of peppermint essential oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Put the paste on your damp hair, and leave it for about 20-30 minutes. Shampoo your hair really well to make sure it is all out, and you’ll be all set.

Avocado and Honey
This yummy looking hair mask will help keep your hair soft, shiny and frizz free. Mix together 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 medium avocado, put it on damp hair and leave it for 15-20 minutes (you can put on a shower cap or even use saran wrap to hold everything in place). Rinse it out and shampoo and condition your hair as normal.

Face Masks
The skin on our face is pretty much the only part of our body that is exposed to the elements, daily and on a year round basis, so it makes sense that it needs lots of care. Test out these masks and watch your skin become brighter, more even and less dry.

Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice that is used regularly in India as part of the beauty routine, as it has many different benefits for skin. This mask is as simple as mixing together plain yogurt with a couple of tablespoons of turmeric. Stir it until it forms a paste, spread it on your skin and let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse with a warm washcloth. Turmeric is a great way to brighten skin (note: turmeric can stain fair skin, but it fades away after a couple of hours.)
Turmeric has numerous benefits including:
-helps to treat acne due to its antiseptic and antibacterial properties.
-helps fade acne scars.
-helps with inflammation.

Oatmeal
Not only does it make for a delicious and filling breakfast, but also it can make your skin look and feel better. Mix together ½ cup hot water, 1/3 cup oatmeal, and let them settle for two minutes. Mix in two tablespoons of plain yogurt and 2 tablespoons of honey. Spread mixture on your face, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.
Oatmeal can benefit your skin in the following ways:
-great for treatment of acne, as it helps remove oil and bacteria from your skin.
-helps with dry skin.
-acts as a natural moisturizer by removing dead skin cells.
-known to help improve skin tone and texture.

Avocado
This is good for those with dry skin: mash ½ of a ripened avocado with two tablespoons of honey and apply it to your face. Let it sit for 20 minutes or so before rinsing it off.
Avocado benefits your skin by:
-helping to remove dead skin cells, due to it’s high amount of Vitamin A.
-helps with wrinkle prevention by removing toxins from skin.
-helping to moisturize your skin.

Lip Scrub
These tasty recipes are great for exfoliating all the dead layers off your lips to ensure they remain healthy, smooth and kissable.

Sugar Scrub
Mix together a tablespoon of brown or white sugar, a little bit of olive oil and put it in a small container. Rub this scrub on your lips, then let it sit for about one minute, then wipe it off with a washcloth. Put some lip balm afterwards. This scrub can be used about once a week.

Coffee Scrub
This is a little more gentle then the sugar scrub. Take one tablespoon of coarsely ground coffee, 1 tbsp. of olive oil, mix them together well, then apply to your lips and gently rub it in. Let it sit for a couple of minutes, then rinse off with water.

Tip: You can use a toothbrush to apply the scrub to your lips. It is also helpful to give your lips a quick scrub daily with the brush, which helps keep them soft.

Hand Masks
How much do hands deserve to be pampered? A lot. How effective would your day be without those oh-so-useful appendages? Not very. So, give your hand a little love with these easy to make masks.

Potato Mask
Boil 2 to 3 potatoes, mash them up and add a little milk to them to form a paste. Apply the warm mixture to your hands, and leave it there until it cools. Wash off, then apply hand lotion. While potatoes may seem like an odd thing to put on your hands, they are actually great for anti aging, tightening and brightening.

Carrot Mask
Grind one carrot and mix in 1 tablespoon of sour cream and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Apply this mixture to your hands, leave it for 20 minutes, then rinse off. Carrots, much like potatoes, have many skin benefits: they are full of nutrients and vitamins, which help the skin to keep looking young and vibrant.

Foot Masks
Our feet need lots of special treatment, especially during the warm summer months when we tend to wear lots of sandals and walk around in bare feet all the time. If your feet are feeling dry and cracked, try out some of these homemade foot masks to help them feel refreshed, smooth and ready to carry you through the day.

Oatmeal Mask
Get a large bowl, and in it mix: 2 cups of rolled oats, 1 cup of all purpose flour, ½ cup of honey and ½ cup of olive oil. Depending on the consistency you end up with, you can add more oil if it is too thick, or more oats if it ends up being too runny. The first step is to soak your feet in warm water, which will help soften them up. You can then exfoliate your feet (perhaps with the sugar scrub you already made up for your lips), after you have exfoliated and rinsed your feet off, take some of the mask and spread it on your feet. Allow it to soak for 30 minutes or so, then rinse them off.

Mint Lime Foot Soak
Mix together 2 cups of Epsom salts, the zest from one lime, 2-3 drops of essential peppermint oil and 2 to 3 drops of lime essential oil. To use it, sprinkle it into a footbath tub filled with warm water, and let your feet soak away.

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Megan’s passion for the written word is only rivalled by her passion for travel – and as a closet foodie – an insatiable appetite for new cuisine. As the editor of Rev Publishing’s tourist and local magazines, every publication reflects this keen sense of taste, adventure and culture.